Tambov city upper secondary student english language contest 2005 reading part 1

Questions 1-5

The people below all want to choose a TV programme to watch.

There are descriptions of eight programmes. Decide which programme would be the most suitable for the

following people. For questions 1-5, mark the correct letter (A-H) on your answer sheet.

1. The Ximenez family love quiz programmes, especially general knowledge ones. They can’t watch after 9 o’clock, as the twins have to be up early for school. 2. The McGregors live in Scotland, and work very hard - they only watch TV at weekends. They enjoy programmes about the natural world, and about different aspects of wildlife in other countries. 3. Mr and Mrs Levy are keen to keep up with the news and what’s happening worldwide. Their favourites are current affairs discussion programmes, which they often stay up late to watch. 4. Katie (10) and Michaela (9) love adventure programmes -especially ones about heroes in past times, with plenty of action and not too much romance. 5. Mr and Mrs O’Driscoll are not very keen on quiz programmes but will watch anything to do with sport.	A Any Sporting Ideas? Not the quiz programme you expect from the name, perhaps. This late-night question-and-answer series takes viewers’ suggestions for improving different sports, and experiments to see whether they would work or not. Watch out for plenty of ideas for deciding if the football crossed the line or not!
	B THE VERY, VERY WILD SHOW The quality of wildlife photography is so high these days that it’s easy to forget how dangerous it can be. One cameraman was almost killed while filming the episode to be shown this Sunday, in which we find ourselves face to face with an Indian tiger which seems to be about one metre away.
	C Big Sister Can See You! The latest ‘reality’ show begins a six-week run on Saturday, hoping to continue the success story of this new form of real-life soap opera. This time the contestants are all women, and they’re not locked up in a house or left on a tropical island. Their adventures begin when ... but why don’t you see for yourselves? Recommended.
	d We Ask the Questions The studio audience is carefully selected, and they certainly make the ‘experts’ work hard in response to their questions. There’s a wide range of subjects under discussion, from heroes of sport to the news of the day! It’s just a shame it’s on so late at night.
	E Who let the Dogs In? The latest programme in the mid-week series about Europe’s changing landscape looks at the continent’s newest wild animal - the dog! It sounds harmless enough, but these animals are very different from those you take for a walk in the local park. Fascinating, but not for viewers with weak stomachs.
	f Ask Me Another Many people were surprised when this programme replaced the very popular early-evening film quiz, but I viewers seem to like the wider range of subjects and the unusual format, especially the part where I contestants are given the answer and have to guess the question.
	G MARATHON No, not another sports programme, but the story of the Greek soldier who ran 42 kilometres after a battle in 490 ВС, to deliver an important message. It’s colourful and beautiful to look at, with fantastic views of the landscape, but above all the action never stops, and it’s very, very exciting.
	H Pop Goes Politics How do politicians of the past compare with those of today? In this clever, but not too serious programme, we see rare pieces of film showing famous names from the last century, often doing things they probably regretted afterwards. We don’t learn very much that’s new, but it’s very funny.

PART 2

Questions 6-15

Look at the sentences below about a holiday in Patagonia. Read the text to decide if each sentence is correct

or incorrect. If it is correct, write A on your answer sheet. If it is not correct, write B on your answer sheet.

6. Not many people go to Patagonia.

7. The tours are not suitable for everyone.

8. You will experience big differences in temperature during the tour.

9. The strong sun means you can wear summer clothes in Patagonia.

10. Our October tour is longer than our other ones.

11. You will see whales on the tour of Peninsula Valdes.

12. The main attraction of Ushuaia is its location.

13. Lake Argentino is famous for its beautiful colours.

14. The best way to explore the park in Chile is on horseback.

15. The cost of the tour depends on when you go.

17-day holiday in Patagonia

Patagonia, in the southernmost part of the Americas, is a wild and not much visited land, famous for its wonderful nature and great scenic beauty.

Our tour will provide a range of experiences for you but we would not recommend it to anyone who does not have a keen interest in wildlife and fantastic scenery, in many of the places we go, there is little in the way of shopping or cultural activities.

We start our tour in Buenos Aires where the climate may be warm, so pack some summer clothes. But remember when we get to Patagonia and the south it will be near freezing. You should have warm underwear with you. If you feet the cold, a waterproof anorak and a warm jacket are advisable. Lightweight walking boots are also a good choice. But... be aware of the strong sun - take suncream with you.

During our October tour, two extra days will be added (making a 19-day holiday) in order to visit Peninsula Valdes. At this time of year there is a huge variety of wildlife to be seen there - seabirds, penguins and sea-elephants. Special viewing platforms have been made from which you can stand and watch these curious animals. And if we’re lucky, whales, the most magnificent sea animals of all, may be seen just off the coast.

We go on to Ushuaia, the southernmost town in the world, and part of the Land of Fire (Tierra del Fuego). Stand on the coast and look out across the ocean - apart from a few small islands, there is nothing between you and the bottom of the world!

Our next stop is Calafate, in the foothills of the Andes. From there we visit Lake Argentino, a huge lake, considered one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. The Perito Moreno Glacier, which we also visit, is a river of ice that changes colours under the rays of the sun. Watch as large bits of the ice fall from a height of 10 m into the waters of the lake.

The next part of our journey takes us from Argentina into Chile where we will spend some time in Torres del Paine National Park. The park is home to guanacos, the flightless rhea bird, flamingos and the bird that symbolises the Andean region more than any other - the condor. But you can do more than just watch –why not go horse riding or trekking in the park?

The cost of the 17-day tour is £3,650 which includes all transport, accommodation and meals. For the 19-day tour in October, add a further £200.

PART 3

Questions 16-20

Read the text and questions below.

For each question, write the correct letter - А, В, С or D on your answer sheet.